


Of Lobsters and Lights

by minatoarisatoast



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Amusement Parks, Fluff, M/M, this is the fluffiest thing I've ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14865618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minatoarisatoast/pseuds/minatoarisatoast
Summary: Akira and Yusuke go on a date.---For the SYH Shukita Date Zine!





	Of Lobsters and Lights

It had taken Akira weeks to figure out how to ask Yusuke out.

A letter? No, no-- he wanted to do it in person. Chocolate? Flowers? Both good options, albeit cliched ones.

He’d been fussing over it one hot afternoon when Yusuke came over to Leblanc and asked him out first, eyes downcast as he blushed furiously and toyed with the ribbon on the box of heart-shaped chocolates he’d bought Akira with the last of his money.

Akira could hardly believe his good fortune. And now, as Yusuke-- his  _ boyfriend _ \-- stood beside him, he worried he might wake up from this and find that it had only been a dream.

Yusuke’s voice snapped him out of his reverie.

“Is it not beautiful, Akira?” the blue-haired boy breathed, framing the world with his hands as if to take a picture. Akira nodded, taking it all in. Lights twinkled and glimmered all around them, and shrieks of joy and laughter could be heard mingling with the chatter that accompanied any busy place at this time in the afternoon.

An amusement park date. They hardly had a plan in mind-- the idea was to walk around and try new things, new food. Yusuke had brought a sketchbook, which he’d stashed in Akira’s bag. “In case the opportunity arises,” he had said.

A flyer pinned to the side of a corn dog booth caught Akira’s eye. Splashes of color on a muted background advertised a fireworks display happening later in the evening. As he skimmed the leaflet, he felt Yusuke’s presence behind him, trying to read over his shoulder.

Akira turned to face him and quirked an eyebrow. “Interested?”

Yusuke hesitated. “Only if you wish to go.”

Akira laced his fingers through Yusuke’s. He felt his boyfriend stiffen up--

“Uncomfortable?” Akira asked, concern and a touch of anxiety creeping into his voice. “I could stop, if you don’t like it--”

Yusuke paused, then squeezed Akira’s hand. “No-- It’s fine. I promise. I’m just--”  _ I’m just not used to this,  _ were the unspoken words.

Yusuke’s eyes darted around the fairground, as if he wasn’t quite sure where to look. Looking for something to break the tension with, Akira’s eyes caught on a shooting game and his eyes widened. He grinned.

Now  _ this _ he could work with.

He didn’t notice how Yusuke’s gaze lingered on the couple leaving the game, the girl clutching a newly-won Stray Sheep doll and giggling at what had probably been a joke. The boy laughed in turn; the forced casualness of someone trying to impress his date.

He wanted to sketch them; wanted to ask them if they would pose for a picture-- just one picture. But Akira was waiting for him, and so Yusuke tore his eyes away.

There would be time for that later.

\---

Some tacky lights had been strung up in an attempt to make the booth look more cheerful. Several painted bottles sat on shelves of varying heights. The larger ones sat closer to the front, and Akira could see a bottle’s label showing up through the paint. Toward the back, a few smaller bottles had been set up. Akira guessed those were worth more points.

This was going to be too easy.

Looking to his right, Akira could see Yusuke squinting at the display-- Akira could already see the gears turning; how he might rearrange the bottles to form a more pleasing composition. Yusuke caught Akira’s eye, a question in his eyes. Akira turned back to the game, clearing his throat. His face was red.  _ Damn it. _

A bored-looking attendant went through the rules, but Akira wasn’t listening. He watched Yusuke’s gaze linger a touch too long on a bright red lobster plush set out among the prizes, its beady eyes glittering.

It didn’t take long for Akira to put two and two together. As the attendant droned on (how many rules were there, anyway?) he eyed the smaller bottles in the back. They were each worth around 50 points, right? The smallest bottle was worth 100. He had this. He  _ had _ this.

And then the model gun was in his hands, and he sprang to action. Akira could sense it; that subtle shift between his everyday self and Joker as he knocked down bottles with ferocious ease.  _ Clink, clink, clonk.  _ His movements became less shaky, and he gradually settled into his element.

Eyes on the prize. He could almost hear Arsene cheering him on.

Before he knew it, the lights were blinking and the game was over. Grinning, he turned to face Yusuke. There was a fire in the blue-haired boy's eyes; a spark of inspiration that lit up Akira's world. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to impress him.

"That one." Akira pointed toward the lobster plush. The attendant shook her head.

"My apologies, but you haven't earned enough points to win that one." She gave him an apologetic smile. "You were just short."

Akira felt shame bloom across his features. He dug into his pocket for some more money. He'd win that plush, for Yusuke. No matter what.

The game started up again. Down went more bottles.  _ Clink, clunk. _ He was so close. All he had to do was knock down that small bottle in the back, and his victory was guaranteed. Right?

Akira closed one eye and aimed. Careful, careful. Beside him, he could hear the telltale scritch-scratch of pen on paper. He had to make it quick--he was almost out of time.

His shot barely missed that last bottle. Akira groaned as the lights flashed, signaling the end of the game. He'd almost had it.

"Akira." Akira felt Yusuke's hand on his arm as he dug through his bag for more change. Yusuke's smile was soft, like a single brushstroke on paper. "It’s fine. Really."

Akira gave Yusuke a slight smile in return. "Please, just one more time. I promise, I'll get it for you." Yusuke released his grip on his arm and he turned toward the game once more with renewed determination.

He felt Joker awaken once more. His stance became more stable, and he aimed; carefully, carefully. Two bottles went down in rapid succession. A third, then a fourth.

He still had a few more seconds left. Most of the bottles were gone. His main target, that last bottle-- It stood on its shelf out in the open, practically mocking him.

Inhale, exhale. The bottle was a shadow. This was just another Palace on his quest to steal Yusuke's heart.

His aim was perfect. His shot landed right where he'd wanted it to. The bottle wobbled slightly...

It didn't fall.

The game was rigged. Akira almost laughed.

To his left, the attendant stood there, smirking, both eyebrows raised. "You know...If you're interested, you can always purchase prizes for a set price."

Oh.  _ Oh. _

...

He could almost hear Arsene laughing.

\---

Akira and Yusuke walked away from the game booth, Akira still feeling a little wounded, Yusuke the proud new owner of a lobster plush.

They paused to get some nachos. While they waited in line, Yusuke tapped him on the shoulder and showed him his sketchbook. Akira's heart skipped a beat. Yusuke had drawn him at the shooting game-- Using just a few lines, he had captured the fiery intensity of Akira’s gaze; his determination.

Akira felt his breath catch in his throat. “It’s beautiful…”

Yusuke’s eyes lit up at the compliment, and Akira was suddenly very aware of his own heartbeat.

\---

The nachos were long gone by the time they reached the Ferris wheel. It was a beautiful thing; decorated with lights that twinkled and winked at the two of them. The sun had started to set, and the two of them were killing time before the fireworks were to begin.

"Akira, where's the line?" Yusuke squinted. "With all these people in the way, I am having difficulty-- Oh."

It was then that Akira, too, realized that the mass of people congregating around the Ferris wheel was in fact the line.

"I believe it would be best to return at a more opportune time," Yusuke spoke up, voicing Akira's thoughts. The boy nodded, relieved. He moved to take a step...

Someone shoved him to the side, and the world tilted madly for a brief second before righting itself. Akira caught a glimpse of someone cutting through the crowd, the people around them either making way or cursing as they charged through with reckless abandon.

"How rude." It was then that Akira looked up and realized who'd caught him. Yusuke's arms were around him in a protective embrace, Akira pressed against the taller boy's chest. They both flushed red in that instant, and Akira pulled away. Yusuke coughed.

There was an awkward silence. Akira fiddled with the straps of his bag, which by some miracle hadn’t fallen.

\---

The silence persisted as they navigated the crowds, looking for someplace quiet where they could plan their next move.

“What shall we do next?” It was Akira who spoke up, eyes wandering around the fairground, lit up with infinite possibilities. Yusuke blinked and looked away, an awkward smile playing on his lips, as if he were about to say something embarrassing.

“I-if it isn’t too much trouble...I would like to try a roller coaster.”

Akira inhaled sharply, eyes widening. “Yusuke--”

He, of course, had no problems with roller coasters-- he loved them, and normally would have been happy to take a friend up on the offer. Except--

_ Mementos. Last-minute turns sharp as an arrow, gloved hands gripping the wheel and twisting, turning, turning-- Yusuke doubled over, clutching his stomach, grimacing. Ann offering a bottle of water, calling for a break. _

“Don’t you have motion sickness?” Akira reached for Yusuke’s hand. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Yusuke twisted a strand of hair around his finger, thinking. He hummed quietly. Was he reconsidering?

But then Yusuke stood up straighter, a determined fire in his eyes. “Akira...If I aim to capture the  _ energy _ of an amusement park in my art, surely I must first experience the amusement park, yes? And what is an amusement park without a roller coaster?”

There was no talking him out of this one. Akira guided Yusuke in the direction of the kids’ roller coasters. He wasn’t about to have his boyfriend die on him.  _ Not today. _

The line wasn't too long this time. Still, Akira felt very out of place, the two of them being the only teenagers in a line full of small children. He didn't realize he was clinging to Yusuke until the taller boy stiffly patted him on the head.

Yusuke got into the roller coaster car first. Akira couldn't help it-- he giggled, trying to stifle his laughter behind one hand as he climbed inside. The taller boy looked thoroughly uncomfortable, all knees and elbows in a car that was clearly too small for him. The attendant made sure they were buckled in properly, eyebrows raised the entire time.

"This is rather underwhelming--" Yusuke began. Akira stifled another awkward giggle.

Then the ride began, and anything else Yusuke might have said was stolen away by his sharp intake of breath as their car jolted into motion.

By Akira's standards, it was a fairly smooth ride, not at all like the wild roller coaster he'd experienced with his family a few summers ago. No steep climbs, corkscrew twists, or breathtaking drops-- just an easy climb, and a smooth decline accompanied by the shrieks of small children. Whether the shrieks were from terror or delight, he could not say.

Beside him, Yusuke had gone completely silent. He clung to Akira as if afraid of losing him, hands trembling as the roller coaster crested the next incline. Akira shifted slightly, his legs cramping up in the too-small car. When he moved, Yusuke's grip on his arm tightened, until it threatened to cut off all blood circulation in that general area.

"Yusuke," Akira whispered, trying to hint that at this rate, he wasn't going to make it till the end of the ride. He tried to tug his arm loose.  _ "Yusukeee." _

Yusuke just buried his face in Akira's shirt.

A couple minutes later, Akira helped a pale and shaky Yusuke out of the roller coaster car. The taller boy kept a firm hold on Akira's shoulder until well after the ride was out of view. It wasn't until another several minutes had passed that Yusuke chanced speaking.

"That was," he took a deep breath, "a thoroughly horrifying experience." He shuddered. "Let us never speak of this again."

A wicked smile appeared on Akira's face.

" _ Never _ , Akira."

\---

They paused at a cotton candy stand on their way back to the Ferris wheel. While Akira rummaged through his bag for spare change, Yusuke studied the flavors.

They both got blue raspberry, and as they took in the sights and smells and colors of the park, Akira couldn't remember a time he'd ever been happier.

\---

The sun had set and the crowd had mostly dispersed by the time they got back. The lights looked brighter in the dark, like the stars themselves had deigned to join them. The music seemed louder too-- or was the twilight playing tricks on Akira’s perception?

It was almost magical.

\---

The Ferris wheel was completely lit up when they reached the front of the line. The attendant smiled at them as he made sure their seats were secure, and Yusuke laced his fingers through Akira’s.

“You seem more comfortable around me than you were earlier,” Akira wondered. “Why is that?”

Yusuke shrugged. “Who knows?” He flashed Akira a quick smile. “Perhaps the fairground is working its magic.”

“Perhaps it is.”

\---

The first firework lit up the twilit sky like a single, forgotten star. As it fizzled out, another rose to take its place, and another, and  _ another _ . Like splatters of paint, almost. Akira shivered, and his hand instinctively reached for Yusuke’s.

It was then that he noticed the childlike wonder on Yusuke’s face as he sat there, completely entranced by the lights that crackled overhead. His mouth hung open slightly, cotton candy all but forgotten in his other hand.

The wind rocked their seat a little bit, and Yusuke squeezed his hand, moving closer. He turned to look at Akira, a small smile playing on his face, nearly as transient as the fireworks themselves. Their eyes met.

Akira couldn’t look away. Yusuke’s eyes sparkled, and he was flushed pink with excitement. A strand of hair had fallen into his eyes, and without thinking, Akira moved to gently push it back into place.

It was then that Yusuke pulled him into a kiss.

Caught off guard, Akira tensed up, then relaxed into Yusuke’s embrace. He kissed him back, slowly at first, then more passionately as time seemed to stand still. He didn’t fail to notice how Yusuke’s hands gripped the back of his shirt, how his lips tasted like the cotton candy he had been eating just minutes before-- which now lay discarded on the bench. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered, except him and Yusuke--

They finally broke apart as another firework crackled loudly overhead, in fierce shades of orange and pink. Akira could feel his heart pounding, and Yusuke looked bashfully to the side, the tips of his ears pink.

“Forgive me,” Yusuke breathed, one hand over his heart. “I’ve...always wanted to do that...I simply could not pass up the moment.”

Akira laughed softly, and took Yusuke’s hand in his own. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the comfortable silence as the Ferris wheel ride came to a close.

\---

“Akira?”

“Hmm…?” The amusement park’s exit was just up ahead. Akira’s eyes drooped, and he stifled a yawn.

“I...had a lot of fun today.”

Akira wanted to tell Yusuke how happy he was; how much he meant to him. He wanted to tell Yusuke how meeting him had changed him, in more ways than he could count.

He thought back to the kiss, and Yusuke’s expression when he looked up at the fireworks.

He decided there were no words to describe what he was feeling-- either that, or there weren't enough.

So instead, Akira just smiled at him, and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. “I did too.”

The faintest hint of pink colored Yusuke’s face, though it was difficult to see in the dark. “We should...do this again sometime.”

“...I’d like that.”

“Though, I would prefer to avoid the roller coasters next time, if possible.”

 

end.

**Author's Note:**

> I actually wrote this a while back, but due to...technical difficulties the zine was delayed. I was finally told that I could post my piece! I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave kudos or a comment if you did, it really means a lot to me <3


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